VIEWS & OPINION


Top of the class: how schools can showcase themselves during admissions season


Comment by ROB POINTEN, CEO, Weduc


School admissions season begins in September, and soon parents up and down the nation will be attending open evenings in their local area to gauge which is best for their child when they begin their primary or secondary educational journey the following year. Open evenings have become especially prevalent among schools as staff hope to showcase the establishment at its best to parents walking through the front doors. In 2023, however, it’s not just about how schools present themselves in the real world, but online too. Managing reputation is a multi-channel undertaking, and maintaining a positive perception is not just vital to


impressing parents, but helps to attract new talent, teachers and funding. Reputation management isn’t easy in the digital world, though, and there are several key areas which schools need to focus on in order to turbocharge their reputation for admissions season and beyond.


Bringing school culture to life online


A website that reflects all the positives of a school is vital to its marketing plan. Of course, staff are likely to be proud of cutting- edge facilities and a proven track record of achievement. It’s also natural for them to want to shout loudly about them to prospective students and their parents to draw attention to accolades achieved. And while modern classrooms and outstanding exam results are great centrepieces, they don’t tell the whole story of the school. Websites need to communicate the values, ethos and overriding culture of the school. Maybe the core values are courage, determination and loyalty - these need to be front-and-centre of website designs so parents know straight away how staff and teachers go about their work, and what they expect from the students that are enrolled there. Additionally, is there anything physically different about the school that is unique? If a new auditorium has just been opened on site, it’s likely to appeal to parents due to its benefit to students. If the school is focused particularly on rugby and has the facilities on site for interested children to build their skills in the sport, this may also be appealing to parents, for example.


There are also opportunities for prospective families to discover more about the school in other ways. The school could publish news posts about student activities and success, or highlight the curriculum with dedicated subject pages. It’s likely also that parents will be exploring websites on mobile devices, either alongside desktop versions or exclusively. Any design needs to be mobile-friendly so parents can find key information on the device that suits them. The website also provides a great platform to communicate why teachers love working at the school, and what attracts them to be part of the institution. There’s been many high-profile stories in the media of teacher dissatisfaction due to real term pay cuts and subsequent strikes causing widespread disruption. In a time where parents are aware of the difficulties facing many teachers, this is a chance for the school to showcase happy staff and their talents, experience, and the value they gain from preparing students for later life.


Some parents may prefer not to or be unable to attend an open 24 www.education-today.co.uk


evening in person. Schools could even feature a virtual tour on their website so parents can get a feel of the classrooms and facilities without having to leave the comfort of their living room.


Getting creative with social media Digital reputation extends beyond a school’s website and into social media channels. Schools need to demonstrate an understanding of modern communication channels such as social media platforms, with parents likely to be active on at least one of them. In fact, a study completed in early 2023 found that a staggering 84% of the


UK population were active social media users, sitting well above the global average of 45%. A significant majority of UK-based parents can therefore be reached by at least one of these channels. The more that parents are consistently engaged with, the better, and all the more reason that social media activity is well- thought-out during admissions season. Parents of prospective students can be engaged in school life by pictures or even video clips of a special assembly, a trip to a local place of interest or a high achieving class. Schools then can ensure that their messages reach as many prospective families as possible by linking their newsfeed to Facebook, Twitter and their website. Any new posts are simultaneously updated on all platforms and parents will see the update on their preferred channel of choice. Ultimately, social media-savvy parents will gravitate towards the schools that show they are in-step with the way they already communicate with people and organisations in their personal and professional lives. The key is keeping the posts consistent, interesting, insightful and fresh, and not recycled content from other sources. Personable and humanised content can help to build a sense of community with parents. This may mean injecting some personality into posts, such as humour or a light-hearted tone where appropriate, to help establish a brand voice for the school.


Reputation across the board


School reputation is as much an online mission as offline in the modern world. In the case of parents making that all important decision about which school their child goes to, it’s up to staff to ensure that the website and social media channels are primed for parent engagement. A well-designed website, that is easy-to-use on both desktops and mobiles, clearly communicates the culture of the school and its curriculum, student successes and its teachers will give a clear insight to parents.


With the enduring popularity of social media among today’s parents, schools must also ensure that these channels are updated regularly as more people check them to gauge a reputation. Regular posts, in picture and video form, can help to attract parents, create a sense of community and build the school brand.


Demonstrating that your school understands and is up to date with modern ways of communication gives parents an insight into how they will be communicated with if they choose your school, making them more likely to gravitate towards your offering. With all these tactics in play, schools can stand out to parents as admission season gets fully under way.


September 2023


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